CVE-2024-1283: Google Chrome Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

CVE-2024-1283 Overview

CVE-2024-1283 is a heap buffer overflow vulnerability in the Skia graphics library used by Google Chrome. Skia is the open-source 2D graphics library that serves as the graphics engine for Chrome, Android, and many other applications. This vulnerability affects Google Chrome versions prior to 121.0.6167.160 and allows remote attackers to potentially exploit heap corruption through a specially crafted HTML page.

Critical Impact

Remote attackers can exploit this heap buffer overflow to achieve arbitrary code execution, potentially leading to complete system compromise when users visit malicious websites.

Affected Products

• Google Chrome prior to version 121.0.6167.160
• Fedora Project Fedora 38 (with affected Chrome packages)
• Fedora Project Fedora 39 (with affected Chrome packages)

Discovery Timeline

• February 7, 2024 - CVE-2024-1283 published to NVD
• June 17, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-1283

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write) and CWE-122 (Heap-based Buffer Overflow). The flaw exists within the Skia graphics engine, which handles complex rendering operations including image processing, text rendering, and vector graphics. When processing maliciously crafted content, the Skia library fails to properly validate buffer boundaries during heap memory operations, allowing attackers to write data beyond allocated memory regions.

The heap corruption can be triggered remotely by convincing a user to visit a malicious website containing a specially crafted HTML page. Since Chrome's renderer processes handle untrusted web content, a successful exploit could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code within the context of the browser sandbox.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper bounds checking within Skia's heap memory allocation and manipulation routines. When processing certain graphical elements or operations, the library allocates a heap buffer that is insufficient to hold the processed data, leading to a buffer overflow condition. This memory safety issue allows attackers to corrupt adjacent heap memory structures, which can be leveraged to achieve code execution.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based and requires no authentication or user interaction beyond visiting a malicious webpage. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability through the following attack chain:

1. Attacker creates a malicious webpage containing crafted HTML/CSS/JavaScript that triggers the Skia vulnerability
2. Victim is lured to visit the malicious webpage through phishing, malvertising, or watering hole attacks
3. Chrome's rendering engine processes the malicious content, triggering the heap buffer overflow in Skia
4. The heap corruption allows the attacker to manipulate memory structures and potentially achieve code execution
5. While Chrome's sandbox provides defense-in-depth, heap corruption vulnerabilities may be chainable with sandbox escape exploits

For technical details regarding the specific vulnerable code paths, refer to Chromium Issue #41494860.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-1283

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual Chrome renderer process crashes or restarts, particularly when visiting specific websites
• Unexpected memory allocation patterns or heap corruption errors in Chrome crash logs
• Suspicious network activity originating from Chrome processes after visiting untrusted websites
• Detection of exploit kit landing pages in network traffic logs

Detection Strategies

• Monitor Chrome version deployments across the enterprise to identify systems running vulnerable versions (prior to 121.0.6167.160)
• Implement web filtering to block known malicious domains and URLs associated with exploit kits
• Enable Chrome's built-in crash reporting and analyze crash dumps for signs of heap corruption attacks
• Deploy endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of detecting memory corruption exploitation attempts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable enhanced logging for Chrome browser processes to capture crash telemetry
• Monitor for unusual child process spawning from Chrome renderer processes
• Implement network-level inspection for suspicious HTML/JavaScript payloads targeting browser vulnerabilities
• Track Chrome update status across all managed endpoints to ensure timely patching

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-1283

Immediate Actions Required

• Update Google Chrome to version 121.0.6167.160 or later immediately
• Enable automatic updates for Chrome to ensure timely security patches
• For Fedora 38 and 39 users, apply the latest Chromium packages from the Fedora repositories
• Review and restrict access to untrusted websites until patching is complete

Patch Information

Google has released a security update addressing this vulnerability in Chrome version 121.0.6167.160. The fix was announced in the Google Chrome Stable Channel Update in February 2024. Fedora users should apply updates from the official Fedora package repositories as announced in the Fedora Package Announcement.

Workarounds

• Use alternative browsers temporarily until Chrome can be updated in environments where immediate patching is not feasible
• Implement strict web content filtering policies to block access to potentially malicious websites
• Enable Chrome's Site Isolation feature to provide additional protection against cross-site attacks
• Consider disabling JavaScript execution on untrusted sites through browser extensions or enterprise policies

# Verify Chrome version on Linux/macOS
google-chrome --version

# Force Chrome update check (Windows)
# Navigate to chrome://settings/help in the browser

# For Fedora systems, update Chrome packages
sudo dnf update chromium --refresh